It's hard to believe I made it to 2013 without ever seeing the holiday classic WHITE CHRISTMAS, but it's pretty safe to say that this old fashioned, corny but fun Christmas flick will now be a yearly staple.
The film opens with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye putting on a Christmas stage show in the middle of World War II near the battle front. General Waverly (Dean Jagger, much softer than I've ever seen him before) is about the leave the troop and his squadron gives him a stirring salute via song.
These just aren't any songs, they're by the great Irving Berlin and are all highlights throughout the movie.
After the war, Crosby and Kaye become a hugely successful singing duo, taking Broadway and the country by storm.
Danny Kaye is hilarious and limber in some great dance routines. His constant matchmaking for his partner Crosby ends up with them meeting and chasing a female singing duo, played by Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
All four find themselves at a Vermont ski lodge owned by their former General that has fallen on hard times due to no snow and sparse visitors.
The rest of the film is predictable but sweet and so well executed by our four stars that the cliches are overwhelmed by the song and dance numbers and holiday goodwill.
This was Paramount's first film in ultra widescreen VistaVision back in 1954. It was directed by Michael Curtiz, who also helmed Casablanca and The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn, a strong trio of film classics!
The songs are great, the technicolor widescreen photography is excellent and our stars are all in great form. This is the youngest I have ever seen Bing Crosby. He has great stage presence and is a much better dancer than I ever would have imagined, having only seen him much older in his Christmas specials when I was a kid.
Filmed nearly 60 years ago (what's with those women's hairstyles!?) White Christmas is a holiday treat we will be enjoying as a yearly tradition from now on and we'll give it a big bright, snow covered A.
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